As is known to those skilled technicians in the art, washing machines and in particular clothes washing machines comprise machines for washing articles in general in an aqueous medium. Thus, it is evident to note that clothes washing machines comprise, among other functional components and elements, at least one washing basket.
Conventionally, a washing basket of a clothes washing machine defines an environment able to pack an aqueous medium (water and cleaning supplies) and a specific load of articles to be washed.
Also conventionally, a washing basket of a clothes washing machine provides means for mechanical association to a motive source (usually an electric motor) existing in the washing machine. Such means of mechanical association are responsible for transmitting the rotary motion of the motor to said washing basket. Different stages of the washing process require this movement of the washing basket.
Conventionally, a clothes washing machine comprises only one washing basket, that is, only an environment able to receive an aqueous medium and a load of articles to be washed.
In these cases, it is necessary to perform a kind of screening of the articles that will compose a washing load, that is, it is necessary for example to separate the white clothes from the colored ones so that they do not smear each other during the washing process.
This type of screening implies the need of conducting at least two complete washing processes. In the present example, at least one washing process for the white clothes and at least one washing process for colored ones.
The current state of the art provides the possibility of using removable baskets together with attached baskets in clothes washing machines.
An example of this kind of concept can be found in document U.S. Pat. No. 3,014,358, where it is described a clothes washing machine which provides, in addition to the main washing basket, a removable washing basket liable of attachment in the stirrer of the washing machine, which is arranged inside the main washing basket. In this example, both washing baskets have fluid communication with each other, that is, the same aqueous medium used in the main washing basket is used in the removable washing basket.
Another example of the same concept is disclosed in document U.S. Pat. No. 7,401,479, wherein the use of a removable washing basket liable of attachment to the bottom of a main washing basket is described. In this example, the two washing baskets also have fluid communication with each other, with the same aqueous medium being used for both baskets.
In both examples above, as well as other embodiments based on this same concept, there is, for practical purposes, no difference between using or not using the removable washing basket, after all, it is understood that the washing machine is liable of conventional operating with or without said removable washing basket.
This occurs mainly by the fact that both the main washing basket and the removable washing basket operate in a same aqueous medium. Therefore, systems for filling and draining the washing machine operate in a standard and independent manner from the use or not of the removable washing basket.
Moreover, the current state of the art also includes a second concept substantially different from the concept illustrated in documents U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,014,358 and 7,401,479.
In this second concept, a clothes washing machine also provides for the existence of two washing baskets, one main and attached and one modular and removable. However, in this second concept, the washing baskets do not present fluid communication with each other (at least not during the washing process) and depending on this, each washing baskets operate as own aqueous media and distinct from one another.
An example of this second concept can be found in document U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,020, wherein it is described a washing machine consisting of a storage tank of water and, within this, an attached washing basket and a removable washing basket.
In general, the removable washing basket is able to be attached to the upper end of the stirrer which is disposed inside the attached washing basket. It is also worth noting that the aforementioned removable washing basket still has water drainage holes facing the inside of the attached washing basket.
Anyway, during the washing process, the attached washing basket receives a first aqueous medium and a first washing load, while the removable washing basket receives a second aqueous medium and a second washing load. Obviously, said removable washing basket cannot be used and, in this context, the clothes washing machine receives only one aqueous medium and only one washing load.
Considering this second concept, it is within the knowledge of the versed technician that the user must insert or remove the removable washing basket and hence the user must “inform” the clothes washing machine if said removable washing basket is in conditions of use or not.
Unlike the first concept (where the washing baskets present fluid communication), the use or not of the removable washing basket alters all the functional dynamics of the washing machine, after all, two distinct filling steps and two distinct draining steps are required, in addition to other intermediate steps which guarantee the independent operation of both baskets.
Thus, it is extremely important to identify, preferably before the start of the washing process, if the removable washing basket is in conditions of use or not, and it is based on this premise that the present invention arises.